Ce ³⁺:Lu ₃Al ₅O ₁₂–Al ₂O ₃ optical nanoceramic scintillators elaborated via a low-temperature glass crystallization route

Transparent Ce:lutetium aluminum garnet (Ce:Lu3Al5O12, Ce:LuAG) ceramics have been regarded as potential scintillator materials due to their relatively high density and atomic number (Zeff). However, the current Ce:LuAG exhibit a light yield much lower than expected theoretical value inevitable presence of LuAl antisite defects at sintering temperatures. This work demonstrates low-temperature (1100 ℃) synthetic strategy for elaborating transparent LuAG–Al2O3 nanoceramics through crystallization 72 mol% Al2O3–28 Lu2O3 (ALu28) bulk glass. The biphasic nanostructure composed LuAG Al2O3 nanocrystals makes up whole ceramic materials. Most is distributed among grains, rest present inside grains. Fully dense are highly from visible region mid-infrared (MIR) region, particularly transmittance reaches 82% 780 nm. Moreover, defect-related centers completely undetectable in X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) spectra Ce:LuAG–Al2O3 with 0.3–1.0 at% Ce. 0.3 estimated be 20,000 ph/MeV short 1 μs shaping time, which far superior that commercial Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) single crystals. These results show glass route provides an alternative approach eliminating LuAG-based ceramics, promising produce garnet-based excellent properties, thereby meeting demands advanced scintillation applications.